The Walking Dead Breaks US Cable Channel Viewing Records

Actually, it didn’t just break them… it smashed them. There are major networks who’d kill for figures like these

The Walking Dead is more alive than ever, with season three premiering in the States to viewing figures on a cable channel that most major networks would kill for.

AMC was clearly delighted to be able to announce that The Walking Dead ’s US return on Sunday was watched by 10.9 million viewers. And that was on the initial 9pm airing alone – we’re not talking about all the repeat screenings added in as well. In fact, the 10pm encore was watched by another 3.5 million viewers; that's pretty much what an original episode of Fringe * gets on Fox! And more than any CW telefantasy show gets (outside of new series premieres).

Adding in the midnight showing, the episode was watched by a total of 15.2 million viewers for the night.

The Walking Dead season three premiere now reigns as the biggest telecast for any drama series in US basic cable history among all viewers.

(* This is NOT us dissing Fringe. We love Fringe . It’s just a sad truth…)